Free From Material Desire

(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Brisbane, Australia, March 2011)
There are many challenges in spiritual live, that we are facing. And if we think:

“What is the biggest challenge that we are facing in spiritual life?” – Then, we think, if you really think about it, most people would say: “Material desires!”

“If only I could become free from my material desires, then, oh then, then it would be easy. Then I could fly in Krishna consciousness, because I have taste for Krishna consciousness; but I also have these material desires! If only I was free from these material desires”

This many people would say. Therefore it seems the biggest obstacle in spiritual life: ‘Our material desires.’

But that is not all what actually the conclusion of the scriptures is. The conclusion of the scriptures has a totally different angle on the matter. The scriptures are saying, the biggest problem is not material desires, because material desires are doomed, they can’t survive – the one thing, that is the problem in spiritual life are offences, offences made: against the Name and against the Vaishnavas: disrespect for the Name,

disrespect for the Vaishnavas,

disrespect for the Deities,

disrespect for the Scriptures…..

That kind of attitude can cause delay in spiritual progress. Therefore that is our biggest problem.

That kind of attitude can bring outs the material desires, which otherwise will automatically diminish. Therefore, this attitude of serving the Vaishnavas and treating the Vaishnavas with the greatest respect is actually the solution in our spiritual life.

It will take us up through the tipping point, to the point, where we will begin to experience taste.